Casters are widely used across a vast range of industries and on devices, equipment and materials that require movement from place to place. Casters are available in various designs, each addressing a specific purpose or need. Common examples of light-duty casters are those used on shopping carts and office chairs. Heavy-duty casters are used to move bulk materials and heavy equipment. Casters used in both light and heavy-duty applications are available as swivel casters and straight-line or rigid casters.
In some cases, casters are used on large devices or equipment that require both movement and stationary use. Some casters address this issue by including a locking wheel. However, locking wheels have several drawbacks. First, locking wheels, while locked from rotating, may still be prone to pivot or swivel about a vertical axis, potentially causing movement and vibration of the supported load. In addition, many caster wheel locks are not strong enough to prevent the wheel from rotating when a large force is applied to the supported load. Caster brakes are also easy for anyone to purposefully or accidently disengage. Further, the support on caster wheels, even when locked, is less stable than larger, flat supports that provide better contact with the ground.
For many supported loads, mobility is not the only consideration. Often times loads or equipment, such as store displays, lab equipment, vending machines, ATMs, or the like, require leveling once the machine is positioned in its desired location. For machines that do not use casters, leveling can be achieved with vertically adjustable feet. However, such adjustable feet are not attachable to casters.
Accordingly, an improved adjustable caster is needed in the industry.